Hell Hath No Fury
by TessConnolly
Summary: A coauthored venture between ConeflowerGirl and emptyvoices. Tess Connolly and an OFC and Lisa join forces against Jackson Rippner after his atrocities committed against them which spawns a fury in the two women driving them in a quest for revenge
1. Prologue Painful Reflections

Coneflower's Author Note: I had this idea, but thought it would be great to have a co-author for it, so I asked emptyvoices and she agreed. I'll be writing from our OFC's perspective and emptyvoices will be writing from Lisa's perspective, but we'll also be sharing chapters. Thank you to emptyvoices for going into this project with me!

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His face was everywhere, glaring maliciously at her. She had walked so gullibly into the trap he had set for her. Once she was in his clutches, there was no turning back. No recuperating from what he'd so brutally stolen from her.

"Tess," an all too familiar voice said from behind her. She paid no mind to it as she stared absently out the second story window of her New England home. Tess and her husband, Tom had purchased it five years ago in hopes of fixing it up and starting a family after the refurbishing was done. Now, those dreams were a distant memory as that day would never come.

"Tess, look at me!"

A hand encircling her arm suddenly spinning her around, and she gazed darkly into the soft blue eyes of her sister. "What do you want?" she asked her harshly.

Bree appeared to be almost in tears. "You need to get out of this room. You can't stay in here forever expecting Tom to walk through the door."

Tess' eyes narrowed even more, and she violently jerked her arm from her sister's grasp.

"You know better than anyone Bree," she yelled, pain contorting her tired features, "that I'm not expecting Tom to walk through that door! He's gone, and it's my fault!"

Bree shook her head, pleadingly. "You couldn't help what you were being forced to do."

Tess glared hotly at her for moment then turned sharply back to the window, wrapping her arms across her chest. "I thought by obeying the demands that I was saving Tom. Instead, I sealed his fate. I killed him." Her fingernails dug into her upper arms as she reveled in the affliction of her own flesh. It felt better to feel the physical pain she could inflict on herself without having to think about what she had lost.

"You didn't know."

"I shouldn't have been so weak," Tess continued to speak. "I probably would be dead right now, but at least I wouldn't be in pain."

Bree nibbled her bottom lip nervously before saying, "David Halliway called from Homeland Security. He wanted to inform you that Jackson Rippner was released yesterday."

At the sound of Rippner's name, Tess whirled around nearly knocking her sister off balance. Her face filled with fury as she clenched her fists as if they were about to swing out at her sister at any moment. "They did WHAT?"

Bree stepped back, her hands up ready to defend herself if Tess were to lash out. "The information Rippner could provide was too important to them to simply pass up. He wouldn't comply under simply interrogation, so they struck a deal with him for immunity since he didn't actually commit the Keefe assassination."

Tess' eyes were flamed with anger as she pushed passed Bree, her hands flailing dramatically. "Well, damn the government to hell! Let's set a murderer free so he can go out there and do it again!" She threw the bedroom door open with such force the knob dented the cream-colored wall behind it.

Tess' feet pounded hard on the wooden steps as Bree followed her sister down the stairs at a safe distance. Tess made a beeline for the computer desk in the living room, and turned the machine on. She typed in the Map Quest web link then hastily got directions to the Lux Atlantic in Miami. A map appeared on the monitor and she immediately printed it out.

"What are you going to do?" Bree asked shakily as she watched Tess' effortless moves on the computer.

Tess didn't answer until the map was fully printed. She snatched up the paper and stood up face to face with Bree. "I'm going to do what I've should of done ever since I buried Tom."


	2. Conflicting Requests

Lisa Reisert was already feeling the fatigue of the day clinging to her mind as she sat in her office within the depths of the hotel. _Where is my life?_ She asked herself wondering why she had accepted the promotion to Area Manager in the first place. _Because you were blinded by the money, you idiot._

Shaking her head, she stared at the paperwork in front of her that needed to be filed with the corporate office. Lisa had just returned from Orlando where the new Lux Atlantic was being erected, no doubt another monument to Disney's monopoly on an ever growing media enterprise. Her fear of flying had not gotten any better despite the constant flights back and forth every month to Lux Atlantic's newest acquisition.

A distant thought occurred in the recesses of her mind. _It's been almost a year._ She thought. A year since Jackson Rippner had held her hostage aboard the Fresh Air flight which indirectly forced her to face the life she had been hiding from since the day of her rape. Before, she had hidden from others, leading a life of obscurity daunted by the mere prospect of dating. Carefully suppressing her emotions, she leaned heavily on routine and order.

Jackson had forced her to deal with the trauma of the past and in her triumph, she had a distinct rush of confidence that she would never allow herself to internally become a victim again.

Her schedule for the day haphazardly lay in front of her as she evaluated her list of appointments and conference calls. Once again looking at the paperwork in front of her, she hastily worked her way through the clutter on her desk when a knock sounded on her door.

"Yes?" Lisa answered and the door opened as Cynthia, the Front Office Manager, came walking in.

"Sorry to bug you, Leese but there is a lady here to see you." She told Lisa hesitantly.

"Does she have an appointment?" Lisa asked.

"No, but she's quite insistent. Her name is Tess Connolly and she says to tell you that she has important information about Jackson Rippner." Cynthia told her.

Lisa froze at the sound of Jackson's name staring at Cynthia momentarily. Only a select inner circle of her trusted friends and family knew that name. "Please show her in." Lisa murmured, clenching the arms rests tightly of her office chair. _What could she possibly want with me?_ A thought had occurred to her that this woman was meant to finish what Jackson had not succeeded in doing. _Maybe she's here to kill me…_

Immediately, she knew she was mistaken at that assessment when a young woman entered the room dressed in a tailored grey pantsuit which accented her dirty blonde hair that was neatly pinned back by a matching barrette. Her dark blue eyes stood in stark contrast to her otherwise attractive face which seemed to lack any guile or malicious intent. Within the depths of her eyes, a despair mixed with an onset of rage clouded her otherwise appealing features. _Something is haunting her._ Lisa thought.

Standing up to greet the stranger, the woman started to speak. "Lisa Reisert?" She asked.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Lisa asked cautiously.

"I think the more appropriate question is how we can help each other. My name is Tess Connolly. My husband used to work for Henry Whitfield, an Ambassador of the United Nation," She said.

"Used too?" Lisa inquired.

"_Mrs. Tess Connolly?"_

_He was slender in a trim black suit, clean cut and very professional. She looked up into piercing blue eyes. "Yes?" _

_She regretted indulging in a conversation with him. He was intriguing, talking animatedly about his days at Harvard – where both Tess and her husband attended. He knew affairs of the United Nations and politics around the world. _

_The impressiveness faded when he told her about his associate who was following her husband ready to kill him if she didn't comply with his demands. The codes to the private airport on the grounds of the South African United Nations were what he wanted. _

"_What are you planning?" Tess asked, her knuckles white as she clutched the door handle of Rippner's car. She stopped trying to open it several hours earlier. The locks were controlled by him and him only. _

_She heard the sound of his cell phone flipping open, and turned her head to see the dim light of the screen illuminate his face. Rippner sighed in a manner expressing boredom. "How many times have I answered that question, Tess? Henry Whitfield is going to die." He flicked his gaze toward her, the cell phone light reflecting an evil glint in his pale blue eyes. "Better him than your husband, huh?"_

_A wave of nausea twisted through Tess' stomach, and her fingernails dug indentions into the leather interior of the car. She had given him the codes to save her husband and ultimately herself. Now the shock was over and reality was slamming down on upon her shoulders. _

_She barely heard Rippner talking on the phone until he responded in raised tones to the caller, "Really? He was?" Tess jerked her head to look at him. A malicious yet satisfying grin curled Rippner's lips. "Well, isn't that an intriguing twist. This turned out better than I expected. Thanks for informing me." _

_With that, he flipped the phone shut slipping it back in his pocket. When he brought his hand back up, Tess gasped and shrank back against the passenger side door as he aimed the barrel of a gun at her head. _

_Rippner smirked, his finger resting firmly on the trigger. "Looks like you're not needed anymore, Tess."_

Tess' voice became quiet. "He was murdered along with the Ambassador recently." She muttered.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss." Lisa told her softly.

"I'm not here for your sympathy, Miss Reisert or may I call you Lisa?" Tess asked and Lisa nodded, feeling puzzled.

"You see, we have a common enemy, Lisa. His name is Jackson Rippner and I had an encounter of my own with him. He…" She started to say.

"Wait, how is that possible? He's spending a life sentence in a federal prison. I was assured…" Lisa was saying as Tess cut her off.

"You were assured?" Tess asked, laughing bitterly. "Why don't you call up your friend Charles Keefe? Nothing is ever definite with Homeland Security."

"You're saying he's free and you know him." Lisa repeated in disbelief as she observed Tess who looked back at her stoically. "It's more then that isn't it? He was responsible for your husband's death."

"Yes, he used my husband's life as leverage in exchange for particular access codes that he needed to plant a bomb on the ambassador's plane. What he was unaware of was that my husband was asked to accompany the ambassador at the last moment." Tess informed her.

"It was accidental. Jackson didn't know…" Lisa murmured vividly recalling her entrapment.

_I never lied to you, Leese. You know why? Because it doesn't serve me._

"He never lies…" Lisa reflected softly.

"Do you think I honestly give a shit of whether he meant to kill my husband or not, Lisa?" Tess asked, hitting her fist against her desk in anger. "The fact is that bastard is free and deserves to die. I want to be the one that makes sure he gets what's coming to him." She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "You can help me."

Lisa backed away, feeling shock radiate through her at what Tess was suggesting. "You can't honestly mean…"

"Yes, I do. Together we can get the bastard, Lisa. You kicked his ass before but you left him alive. In a sense, you owe it to me to help me finish the job." She told her.

"No." Lisa said adamantly, shaking her head. "Even if he's free, I'm not going to put myself and my family at risk by going off on some crazy vendetta. Why me, Tess? Why not find another victim?" She asked.

"Do you really think your safe Lisa?" Tess asked pointedly. "While he tormented me to get the codes, he mentioned you quite often. Sometimes in anger and the other times, well, almost affectionately. He's obsessed with you, Lisa. That's why I need your help."

Lisa shivered feeling the distant remnants of disgust creep through her. "No, I'm sorry. I can't help you."

"Can't or won't?" Tess challenged. "Either way, he'll come back for you, Lisa. He'll destroy all those that get in his way just as he did to me. You really think you're safe and protected from that?"

Lisa immediately punched a button on her phone. "Cynthia, please escort Miss Connolly out of the hotel. Our conversation is over."

"Please don't bother, Lisa." Tess said. "I'll show myself out but if you change your mind, give me a call." Dropping a business card on Lisa's desk, Tess left the room as Lisa collapsed back in her chair.

Cynthia let her self in and her voice echoed with concern. "Lisa, are you all right?"

Lisa groaned, glancing at Cynthia. "I'm not feeling well. Could you please cancel my appointments for the day? I need to go home."

"Of course." Cynthia went back out to the front desk, picking up the phone as Lisa made her way out of the hotel. Neither of them noticed a silent figure in the rear of the lobby that watched both women carefully with a sense of satisfaction.

Reaching in his jacket, he dialed a number. "Everything's in place, Mr. Rippner." His dark brown eyes covertly watched Cynthia as she resumed her duties within the expansive lobby.

**Authors Note from Emptyvoices:**

I'm thrilled to be doing my first co-authored writing especially with Coneflower whose writing I have enjoyed so much in the past. Royalty09 will be collaborating with us momentarily in chapter 2 and writing a segment of it. Just as a forwarning, chapter 2 is rather intense and graphic for which this story is being given an M rating. Just want to say thank you to Royalty09 for her help in chapter 2.


	3. Driven to Chaos

**Authors Note from emptyvoices:** I want to say thank you to Royalty09 for her contribution in writing some of the more mature themes in this chapter and please if anyone has not had the chance to read either of her stories, Be Still My Beating Heart and the sequel Where Angels Fear to Tread, I greatly encourage you to read them now! This chapter is why our story has an M rating for it's graphic scenes involving the rape.

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Lisa relaxed on the soft, leather couch of her apartment, sipping a glass of red merlot as she attempted to put the strange meeting with Tess into the distant recesses of her memory.

"_Either way, he'll come back for you, Lisa. He'll destroy all those that get in his way just as he did to me. You really think you're safe and protected from that?"_

"She's definitely lost her mind." Lisa said out loud, shaking her head with disgust. "I don't even know if that's the true story."

Standing up, she walked over to the kitchen and put her wine glass in the sink as she poured herself a glass of water. The humidity in Miami was sweltering, almost unendurable. She smiled faintly recalling all the tourists who upon arrival to her hotel had collapsed from dehydration assuming that the caffeinated and alcoholic beverages they consumed were just as equal to water.

The phone rang startling Lisa from her reverie and she immediately answered it.

"Hey, Lisa? Are you feeling better?" Cynthia's voice resonated with concern over the phone.

"As much as can be expected." Lisa murmured.

"You know, I have an idea of how to get your mind off today. Why don't you come over to my place in a few hours and I'll cook dinner and we can catch the next episode of Boston Legal." Cynthia suggested.

"I don't know. I'm kind of tired."

"Come on, Leese. It'll be relaxing, I promise."

Lisa glanced at the refrigerator as she considered Cynthia's request. It was true that she didn't feel much like cooking not that popping a TV lean cuisine dinner into the microwave required a great deal of culinary skill. It would be nice to actually eat a home cooked meal for once. She thought. Cynthia definitely had Lisa easily beat when it came to talent in the kitchen.

"Okay, you win. Do you need me to bring anything?" Lisa asked.

"Just yourself and maybe a bottle of wine." Cynthia replied.

"No problem. I'll be there at seven." Lisa said as she disconnected the phone. Checking the clock, she realized it was only three in the afternoon. Heading to her bedroom, she decided to take a two hour nap before she headed over to Cynthia's apartment to rid herself of any lingering exhaustion.

As she collapsed on the bed, the phone rang again on her nightstand. She picked it up.

"Hello?" She asked into the receiver. Silence greeted her in response. "Hello?" Lisa asked again. Nothing. Damn telemarketers. "Whatever it is you are selling, I'm not interested." Lisa said into the phone and slammed it back down on the hook as she lay back down on the cool sheets of her bed. Her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep.

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"Oh dear!"

Cynthia ran over to the stove and quickly turned it off as the smell of smoke permeated the air. Steam wafted from under the pot as the water that had boiled over hit the hot surface. She scowled, sighing at the fact that she forgot to turn the burner down to a simmer. Cynthia had learned in high school how to cook and she was relatively decent at it, but sometimes she forgot about a pot on the stove or a pan in the oven and ended up with burnt food. Thankfully, the pasta she was cooking wasn't going to scorch on the Teflon bottom.

Cynthia grabbed a fork, cutting a string of spaghetti to see if it was done. When it cut easily, she poured the pasta in a colander draining the water from it. The alfredo sauce was finished as well and the lamb still had twenty minutes left in the oven. Now all she had to do was wait for Lisa to arrive and they could eat, drink, and veg out in front of the television.

The doorbell echoed through the hallway. Cynthia rushed to the front door. "Hey you!" she started to say as she swung open the door only to be greeted by a dark, malicious smile. A scream erupted from Cynthia's mouth, and she attempted to throw the door shut in the man's face. He was too quick, and caught it before it slammed closed.

Cynthia dashed through the foyer into the dining room to the back door that led to the open backyard of her town home. As she turned the corner from the foyer though, she slammed into someone. Staring up, she gaped as she looked into a pair of chilling blue eyes. She had never seen them in person, but she knew instinctively who they belonged too.

Before Cynthia could scream or have a chance to run, Jackson Rippner shoved her violently to the unforgiving tile floor where she lay momentarily sprawled out and dazed from the impact. Rippner looked passed her and snapped his finger. Cynthia blinked rapidly trying to clear the haze from her vision as another man came into view. They spoke in hushed tones.

When they both turned to face her, Cynthia began trying pushing her way backwards from her assailants towards the stairs that led to her bedroom, her tail bone felt as if it had been split in two._ I need to get up. If I can just get to the bedroom and lock the door… _

"Take her, Holmes." Rippner ordered, smiling wickedly.

The other man loomed over her causing adrenaline to surge through her veins as Cynthia jumped to her feet and dashed for the stairs. A hand caught her by the hair, yanking her backwards. Cynthia crashed into her assailant as an arm encircled her waist in a grip of iron. She flailed her arms and legs, trying desperately to escape from the man's grasp but her attempts were futile as he pinned her arms to her side.

The man suddenly pushed her to the floor, and Cynthia cried out as her bruised tail bone exploded in agony from the brute force of the impact. In an instant, the man was on top of her. Cynthia became lightheaded for a moment, but as he positioned himself more fully on top of her body, her mind suddenly came into focus and she began to struggle wildly, trying to fight against what seemed to be inevitable.

"I know you can control her better than that, Holmes." Rippner said condescendingly as he casually sauntered towards them, holding a video camera in his hand. Switching it on, he aimed the lenses at her. "What, no smile for the camera, Cynthia? After all, you're the star." He said derisively.

Holmes caught both her wrists, pinning them above her head then shoved a gag into the struggling woman's mouth. He looked sideways up at Rippner whom nodded, and Holmes turned back to Cynthia grinning maliciously.

"Take her up to bed; after all, she is a lady," Rippner ordered.

Holmes instantly maneuvered her over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs, despite her muffled protests. Rippner followed behind, grinning ear-to-ear as he held the camera steady on Cynthia's terrified countenance.

She was thrown roughly onto her bed and her attacker, now brandishing a knife, sliced through her shirt with deadly accuracy. Only a few remaining threads prevented her from being fully exposed.

"Very nice," Rippner said to his partner. "Sometimes, it's what you don't see that's so much more enticing, isn't that right Cynthia?"

She suppressed the urge to vomit while her attacker tore at her pants, but could not control her sobs as he spread her legs apart and forced himself on her. All the while, she had to listen to her self-proclaimed videographer as he encouraged his partner onwards and derisively told her to smile for the camera.

Cynthia made one last attempt at freedom, clawing at this monster even as he raped her. She sunk her nails into his cheek, just below his right eye. He yelled and during his brief period of distraction, she managed to force her way out from under him. There was a glimmer of hope as she focused on the doorway but it was quickly dashed when Rippner grabbed her around the waist and threw her back into the arms of her rapist. Her momentary respite was over and the attack quickly resumed.

"Nice try, you little bitch," Holmes cursed as he pounded into her.

"Trust me, Cynthia; you don't want to make him angry. I suggest you lie there and take it…like any good woman should."

Though it seemed like an eternity, the attack finally came to an end. She felt numb as the reality of what had just happened began to set in.

"Your turn," Holmes said, his breath heavy as he pulled away from her.

Cynthia rolled onto her side, terrified by the prospect that this was going to happen all over again.

"No thanks; I'm not into sloppy seconds. I'm waiting for someone else," he responded and Cynthia was almost relieved, until it dawned on her, and she suddenly found the resolve to sit up. Lisa!

Rippner stood over her and pushed her back down onto the bed. He looked her over, assessing the whole situation while he licked his lips.

"You forgot something," he said to Holmes and extended his arm. Holmes promptly passed him the knife and without a moment's hesitation, Rippner cut into her. Those cold eyes never left her face as the blade pierced her skin, just above her breast. "There, that's better."

"What are we going to do with her now?" Holmes asked.

"That's the best part. Wait a minute. I'll be right back."

Cynthia listened as the blue eyed man hurried down the stairs. For a moment, all was silent, save for her labored breathing. Though she knew he wouldn't be gone long, her heart sank when she heard him bounding up the stairs.

"I'll grab her arms, you take her legs," Rippner commanded as he entered the room again.

Too weak and overcome with despair to fight any longer, Cynthia allowed them to lift her from the bed. When they reached the top of the staircase, Rippner stopped and winked at his partner in crime.

"I get it." Holmes said knowingly.

"One," Rippner said as they swung her dangerously over the stairs.

"Two."

Cynthia began to struggle but her attackers held fast.

"Three!" they yelled simultaneously and released their grip.

For a few seconds, it felt like she was flying, but as the stairs loomed closer, she screamed into her gag. Oh God, she thought when she hit the edge of a step and felt something in her lower back pop. Cynthia suddenly felt nothing from the waist down, as she plummeted down the remaining stairs.

When she landed on the cold tile floor barely clinging to consciousness, she found herself face to face with the lens of Rippner's video camera. Above her, she could hear him clapping slowly while he and his partner laughed. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was hearing the men coming down the stairs. They stepped over her as Rippner picked up the camera and opened the door for Holmes.

"Thanks for the help." Rippner said.

"Anytime," Holmes responded, taking a moment to lean over Cynthia's prone form. "Have a nice life," he taunted before he left.

Rippner stepped over her again, as though she weren't even there and made his way into the living room. The bait was about to be planted.

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Promptly at seven, Lisa arrived at Cynthia's apartment with the two remaining bottles of merlot within her grasp. I'll need them after the day I had today. She thought as she gently rapped on the door. There was no answer and she attempted to knock again. The door suddenly creaked open to Lisa's surprise.

_It's not like Cynthia to leave her door unlocked._ Walking through the entrance into her apartment, she glanced around hesitantly. "Cynthia?" She called out as she walked through the living room area into the well lit kitchen. The smell of burning meat permeated the small space as Lisa headed over to the oven finding the blackened remnants of a lamb roast inside. Quickly, she turned the stove off and started to head to the back of the apartment towards Cynthia's bedroom upstairs and gasped in shock at the horrifying image before her.

Cynthia was lying across the tiled floor; her torn flannel pants were dappled with blood as a series of bruises covered her body. Her white t-shirt had been cut open with deft precision leaving little to the imagination. Lisa looked at Cynthia through the surreal haze of her mind, thinking initially she was dead until she heard her emit a muffled groan and instantly she raced forwards. Grabbing a jacket out of the nearby closet, she started to cover Cynthia's exposed figure noticing for the first time a fresh, jagged cut which mirrored the location of Lisa's original scar.

_This can't be happening. _She told herself, feeling a surge of nausea overwhelm her. She leaned against the wall briefly as she clutched her stomach hoping the sensation would pass.

From the outer hallway, Lisa distinctly heard footsteps that ripped through the silence resonating from the family room. Instantly, she slammed the door to the foyer closed realizing that there was no lock to engage. She grasped Cynthia's shoulders as she tried to press against the door frame.

_I won't be able to hold the door closed forever. _She told herself. "Cynthia? Can you hear me?" Lisa asked desperately. Cynthia's eyes fluttered open as they focused on her momentarily.

"Lisa…" She whispered her voice filled with latent terror.

"Cynthia, we need to get out of here now. Can you walk?" Lisa asked desperately.

Cynthia looked at her pleadingly. "I can't….they….I can't feel my legs. Oh, God Leese, they…"

"It'll be okay Cynthia. Just stay with me." Lisa consoled not fully trusting her words. "Did you see their faces?"

"I…one of them, he forced me…I couldn't see him." She said softly as her eyes filled with tears and she moaned quietly.

"And the other?" Lisa asked gently.

"Just his eyes…chilling blue eyes that looked right through me. He…" Cynthia started to say.

"Jackson." Lisa muttered as she instantly looked around the room for a weapon. Seizing a heavy vase, she started to walk towards the door. There was no way out of this apartment except the way she came in. The small backyard had a high cement barrier which would be impossible to climb with Cynthia in tow and the only phone which she could use to summon help was located in the kitchen.

"Lisa…" Cynthia murmured as her eyelids closed.

"I'll get help Cynthia, I promise. He won't make it out of this alive." Lisa said to her. It seemed more of an oath to herself then to Cynthia, Lisa realized as she put her hand on the doorknob.

_He's obsessed with you. That's why I need your help._

"I should have listened." She muttered, shaking her head. There was no time for that right now. Slowly, she opened the door and silently crept into the darkened hallway just as she heard noise starting to emanate from the family room area. As she approached the room, she saw diffuse light coming from the TV set. _Why is the TV on?_ _I know it was off when I came in._ Lisa thought as she came closer only to have a sudden wave of disgust soar through her as she finally saw the images captured on the television.

In vivid detail, a camera managed to capture the graphic details of Cynthia's attack. Lisa's body froze as she witnessed the brutality of rape that she thought was only a distant nightmare from her past.

"_That was great Cynthia. I really believe the camera loves you. Sure you don't want to smile for your audience? After all, you have Lisa to thank for all this._

"Oh my God. It can't be…" Lisa whispered in shock as the vase tumbled out of her sweaty palms.

The crash echoed throughout the apartment and she noticed a figure suddenly stand up from his original position on the couch turning to her with a malevolent grin, his soulless blue eyes were empty of any warmth or compassion.

"Jackson." She murmured softly as a surge of dread coursed through her. He started to walk towards her. I'm frozen! I can't move.

"A stunning piece of cinematography isn't it, Leese?" He asked her casually. "Perhaps I missed my calling."

"Why?" Lisa asked as she choked on the lump that lodged in her throat. "Why did you do this to her? She didn't deserve this, you sick bastard."

"Retribution, Lisa." He said lifting the camera as he was rapidly the closing the space between them. "And now it's your turn."


	4. No Forgiveness, Not Forgetting

**Chapter 3: No Forgiveness, Not Forgetting**

"_How can you forgive him?"_

_Tom stood across the room watching his young wife fling her clothes carelessly into the suitcase lying on the bed. They were leaving that afternoon from his mother's house in Philadelphia. Tom's father wasn't a very good person as he had always been a heavy drinker for many years, and also dished out physical abuse to his wife and two sons. Tom had visited his father on this trip. All the anger and resentment he had pent up inside for so many years was lifted with three life changing words. _

"_Because it was the right thing to do."_

_Tess gritted her teeth, eyes flaming. "Forgiveness isn't something you should throw around lightly."_

_Tom sighed, and shook his head. "Are you saying forgiveness is only for people who deserve it?" They'd had these types of discussions before. Tess was always a stubborn nut to crack. She was set in her ways and that was final. He loved her dearly and wanted nothing more than to make her happy, but there were some things that he refused to compromise with her about and his faith in God was one of them. _

"_Then what would be the point? We wouldn't have our salvation if we were not forgiven first."_

_Tess cupped her forehead in her hand as if to ward of an incoming headache while she rested the other hand on her hip. "Don't start with me on the whole Bible-God-Jesus issue again."_

"_As long as I live, I'll never stop talking about my faith."_

"Where did it get you, Tom?" She asked out loud.

Tess stared down at the wallet size picture between her fingers containing a photo of her and Tom before they were wed. During their senior trip to New York City, he had brought her to an authentic boardwalk on Long Island. She spotted an automatic photo booth, and literally dragged him over to it. They both carried the pictures in their wallet of that special moment; Tess carrying the one with her laying a kiss on his cheek, Tom carrying the one where they both stuck their tongues out. That picture went down with him in the plane never to be seen again.

"Where did forgiving your father get you?" she asked the picture. "He's still alive and kicking over in Philadelphia, but you're dead and buried. It was pointless."

A white flash caught her eye. She quickly glanced over her shoulder. "Crap!" Lisa had gotten into her car and drove away from her home without Tess noticing. She turned the key in the ignition, shifted the car into gear, and pulled out down the road to catch up with Lisa.

She'd tracked Lisa for over a week now keeping an eye on where she went and who she met with. It wasn't until Tess caught a glimpse of Rippner a day prior lounging around the Lux Atlantic that she instantly became alarmed and went into action. Lisa was in danger, and she had to get to her before Rippner did.

Lisa drove a few miles down the highway before turning off into a neighborhood of moderate townhouse apartments. She turned to the right passed several houses until pulling into a driveway behind another car. She recognized the white Buick as the red headed girl's who worked the front desk at the Lux. Lisa climbed out of her car with a bottle in her hand, and walked to the front door.

Something was off though. The way the door came open on its own accord and Lisa's reaction caused an alarm bell to sound in Tess' mind. A minute passed then suddenly a light like a television flickered, and she could see a figure walking toward it. What she saw next made the hair on the back of her neck bristle in fear. Another figure appeared seeming taller and well built. She gripped the door handle, unconsciously grabbing her licensed hand gun from under the driver's seat.

She slowly approached the townhouse from where her car was parked across the street. Screams rang out inside the townhouse, and in an instantly Tess was on her cell phone dialing 911. She dashed to the front door; gun raised in one hand, phone raised to her ear in the other.

"911 dispatch," a woman's voice answered.

"There is a man attacking a woman in townhouse 8 in Palm Tree Estates off Hwy. 41. Hurry! I think he may try to kill her!"

"The police are on their way, ma'am."

Tess slammed the phone shut, sliding it back in its cradle hanging from her waistband. A struggle was going on inside now. She reached for the door handle only to find it locked. "Damn it!" She banged her palm on the door fruitlessly. She pressed her ear to the door, but found that the commotion had come to a halt. Panic flooded over her body, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She ran to the front window in two strides, but couldn't see anything save for the dim light of the television illuminating the room.

Without thinking, Tess slammed the butt of her gun into window shattering it all over her skin and the living room floor. Shards of glass scraped the flesh on her arms, but she ignored the stings of pain. She had to find a way inside or at least cause a distraction to stop Rippner from his devious plot. She knew it was risky without a definitive plan for he was by far much stronger then she was but every second she hesitated could make the difference in life or death.

She barely noticed the sounds of sirens coming up the street as she pounded away the remaining glass from the frame. A large enough hole was finally made, and she crawled carefully through it, being cautious not to touch the jagged edges sticking up from the bottom of the window.

The broken glass crunched under her shoes. She hurried across the living room making a beeline for the stairs.

"Looking for me?" a menacing voice crooned. Tess spun around, the gun gripped tightly in both hands aimed towards the kitchen doorway. There stood Rippner, smug and arrogant; an unconscious Lisa pressed against him, his hand around her waist. Tess' eyes grew wide at the sight, and it took all her strength to keep the gun from shaking.

"You leave her alone, Rippner," growled Tess through gritted teeth. "I will kill you."

The sirens were closing the distance. Rippner laughed mockingly. "Revenge is thine, huh, Tess?" He shifted Lisa to the front of him as if she were a shield. "I'd love to stick around, but you just had to spoil our fun. We'll pick this up later."

In a flash, he threw Lisa towards Tess causing Tess to drop the gun and catch the unconscious woman. Catching her, she carefully set Lisa down on the floor then snatched the gun up again to pursue Rippner, adrenaline coursing through her but he had already disappeared from the apartment.

"Damn bastard," she muttered as she knelt by Lisa's side. "Lisa!" She patted the woman's cheek and finally saw her eyes flutter. "It's Tess Connolly. You're safe now. Rippner is gone. The police are here."

Lisa moaned then sluggishly touched her forehead. "Cynthia," she croaked out, her voice raspy from being choked. "Jackson hurt her. She needs help."

Tess' face fell. She had completely forgotten about the other girl in the apartment. "Don't worry. The ambulance will be here in a few minutes. She'll be taken care of."

Tears began to flow down Lisa's cheeks as she trembled violently "He hurt her so badly, Tess. She can't feel her legs." She moaned. "What have I done?" Her voice was a whisper.

_What have I done? _Tess remembered asking herself the same question when she had heard the news of her husband's death. It was that very question that propelled her rage keeping her focused on the ultimate objective of taking Rippner's life.

She immediately put her arms around Lisa in the attempt to comfort the shaken woman. "Nothing Lisa. Rippner did this. Remember that...above everything else remember who truly is to blame."

The police and paramedics entered the room and the evening became a blur to Tess as she continued to sit on the floor clinging to Lisa's hand refusing to relinquish her last chance to finally avenge her husband's death.


	5. Flickering Shadows

Tess remained in the ambulance with Lisa clutching her hand to assure her of some security as Lisa lay trembling on the stretcher, trying to distance herself from the nightmare that had reentered her life.

Suddenly her eyes flew open and she gasped in panic. "Tess! My father...you have to call him. He's in danger. Jackson threatened..."

Tess squeezed her hand. "The police are already on their way there and he'll meet us at the hospital. Just relax."

She groaned softly as one of the paramedics roughly inserted an IV into her arm. "I'm so sorry, Tess. I should have listened. Should of known. Cynthia..." Tears filled her eyes once more. "I found her after and I couldn't help protect her. Those monsters, they..."

"Lisa, don't think about it. Cynthia's alive. That's the important thing. Take it one step at a time." Tess advised.

Rage filled Lisa as she remembered the target of her utter hatred. "Jackson...I'll kill him. I swear to God that I'll rip his damn..."

Tess placed a hand gently over her mouth. "Not here, Lisa. We'll talk about this later."

Lisa nodded wearily as the ambulance arrived at it's destination and the medics lifted the stretcher from the ambulance, wheeling her into the hospital.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Miss Reisert?" A doctor asked from outside the small room within the emergency area of the medical center.

"Yes?" Lisa asked, glancing up from a six month old magazine that Tess had brought her to read while she took a taxi to retrieve her car.

"My name is Dr. Patterson and I'm overseeing your case." He said as he approached her bedside.

"You happen to be very fortunate. The impact to your head left you with a mild concussion and the cuts were only superficial. We sealed and bandaged those however if you are worried about further scarring, I can recommend a specialist but there really shouldn't be anything pronounced. The results of the rape kit were negative so all in all you were extremely lucky that Miss Connolly came in time." He said.

"What about Cynthia? Are you overseeing her case as well?" She asked desperately.

"Yes, we are trying to contact her next of kin however she did give us permission to talk to you." He said hesitantly. "But I think you should rest first. We want to keep you overnight just to monitor your condition and..."

"No, I'm not waiting until tomorrow. Tell me, how is she?"

"I'm afraid your friend's injuries were a bit more extensive. She has extreme bruising and swelling around the spinal cord that is causing paralysis within her lower extremeties. Unfortunately, it's too early to say whether that paralysis is permanent but we are doing everything we can. Sometimes the swelling is temporary which we are hoping is the case her. With physical therapy and treatment, she could regain full mobility of her legs. However, your friend suffered an extreme psychological trauma which could also affect her recovery."

"Because she was raped." Lisa said flatly.

"Yes, but the assault in particular was very brutal and there was significant tearing which will result in massive amounts of scar tissue. She also suffered direct blows to the abdomen in duration of her fall. She may have problems getting pregnant in the future. I'm sorry." He told her gently.

"Oh God, it's all my fault. I let this happen to her." She murmured, putting her head into her hands.

"Miss Reisert, no one but the attackers are to blame for this. The police are following all leads and Miss Connolly has given her statement. They won't get away with it."

"Yes, they will." She whispered. "They already have but never again."

She turned her body to the side facing away from the doctor. "Never again." She repeated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lisa lay huddled beneath the thin sheets of her hospital bed trying so desperately to push away the rampant thoughts of her otherwise exhausted mind. Her father had already visited her and insisted on sleeping in another room of the hospital so that she wouldn't be alone. Outside her door, she could still see the two police officers who were assigned to guard her.

However, no one could protect her from the horrors of that day. Within the dark recesses of her memory, she could still hear Cynthia shallow but terrified whispers.

"_I can't..they..I can't feel my legs. Oh God, Leese, they..."_

"No!" She shook her head, trying to expunge the memory. She remembered the doctor telling her the critical nature of Cynthia's condition and a shudder went through her briefly at the possibility of Cynthia's paralysis becoming permanent.

"It should of been me." Lisa whispered. _It almost was._ _If Tess hadn't shown up..._Shuddering, her mind swept back to the nightmare that only occurred a few short hours ago.

"_Why? Why did you do this to her? She didn't deserve this, you sick bastard?" Lisa had asked feeling utterly repulsed by the images that kept displaying themselves on the TV screen. Jackson stood up to face her as he approached her with the camera in one hand. _

"_Retribution, Lisa." He said as he started to close the distance between the two of them. "And now it's your turn."_

"_Like hell it is." She screamed in reply as she raced into the kitchen looking for Cynthia's cordless phone. In dismay, she realized the the cradle for the phone was empty._

"_Looking for something, Leese?" Jackson taunted her as he came towards the entrance to the kitchen. Desperately, she pulled open drawers looking for the kitchen knives she knew Cynthia kept near the stove. She moaned in despair, finding the drawers empty of anything she could potentially use as a weapon._

_His hand suddenly gripped her wrist, twisting it behind her brutally as she cried out in pain. Suddenly, she felt the edge of razer sharp steel at her throat as Jackson shoved her against the refrigerator. "Ah, once again, we're in the kitchen. Doesn't it take you back Lisa?" His hand ventured around her neck until he gripped her chin as he quickly turned her so she was directly facing him. She shivered violently as he pressed the blade of the knife against her cheek as the skin around the instrument started to pucker and bleed._

_The tip of the knife traveled downwards once against her neck finding the damaged skin of her scar. He grinned at her lasciviously. "Always playing hard to get, aren't you Lisa." He murmured as he opened her blouse to expose the scar. "If only I could have been there when it happened. It would have been such a Kodak moment, huh Leese?"_

"_You fucking bastard, how..." She started to say and then she cried out in agony as he dug the knife into her chest. _

"_Always the fighter, aren't you? Somethings never change but then again, that spirit is what I find thrilling about you, Lisa." He told her as he deftly put his lips to the injured flesh on her cheek and she felt revulsion creep through her as she felt his tongue lapping at the blood that seeped from the wound._

_He gripped her chin so hard that she could not turn her head away from his lurid advances. Closing her eyes, she prayed quietly for an end to the torment and felt a momentary sense of relief when he removed his lips from her cheek._

"_What do you want with me? If you are here to kill me, just..." Lisa stopped speaking as he started to laugh._

"_Kill you, Lisa? Why would I want to do that when we are just starting to have fun?" He replied._

"_Just like you had fun with Cynthia?" She asked spitefully._

"_Ah, well, Cynthia was a means to an end, like you were in the beginning, Lisa and now you evolved into so much more. You're actually my reward for the success of my most recent assignment. It went far better then any of us could have expected it too." He replied._

"_Tess..." She muttered._

"_So the two of you have met? I've still been meaning to pay her a visit." _

"_You killed her husband. You baited her with him and then you killed him regardless." She spat out ignoring the pain of the blade as it continued to dig into her skin. The adrenaline that surged through her seemed to lift her beyond the agony she would otherwise feel._

"_It's my job, Lisa." His voice sounded cold and distant as he glanced down at his watch. "I believe it's time for us to leave. We don't want to keep your father waiting, do we?"_

"_What?" She stuttered as she gazed at him in terror. His blue eyes were cold and expressionless as he observed her fearful demeanor. "No. There is no way in hell I'm going anywhere with you. Y ou stay away from him! I'll kill you, I swear I will." Despite the knife that he had poised against her flesh, she struggled against him frantically._

"_I don't believe I offered you a choice in the matter, Leese. Besides, I want you to be there so you can appreciate my level of expertise at my job. I'm tremendously good at what I do. Wouldn't it be thrilling to hear your father beg for his life and for those to be the last words you'll ever hear him say." He said as he seized her arms and dragged her out of the kitchen. "And to have your screams be the last thing he'll ever hear?" He whispered._

"_No, you asshole. Stay away from him!" She cried out as she fought the grip he had on her arms._

"_He's the last obstacle in my path that keeps us apart and I won't have anyone standing between what is mine. In time, Leese you'll come to thank me."_

"_I'll thank you when you're dead." She spat out as she instantly propelled the heel of her foot backwards into his kneecap causing him to stumble as they fell to the floor, the knife clattering to the ground only inches from her hand. Grabbing the handle, she instantly thrust it forward managing to stab his shoulder. He screamed in rage as she tried to push herself upwards into standing position only to have Jackson seize her legs, jerking her once more to the ground as she fell backwards hitting her head against the hard tiles. _

_She lay stunned for a moment as the pain radiated through her temple. The room around her started to become blurry and surreal. "Am I dreaming?" She asked herself. But she could feel Jackson climbing on top of her, pinning her down with the weight of his body as his hands encircled her neck squeezing her throat. Blood was slowly dripping from his shoulder onto her blouse, staining her skin. He had already pulled the knife out of his shoulder and it was tossed aside, far out of reach for her to grasp._

_Gasping for air, her hands flailed upwards to dig her nails into his fingers that were clenched so tightly around her windpipe. "Relax, Leese. Don't fight me." His mouth went to her ear as darkness started to fill her vision. "Just sleep. Dream of me." He murmured. As Lisa spiraled into the depths of unconsciousness, distantly, she could hear the sound of sirens approaching and a crash that of breaking glass. "They're going be too late." She thought as her eyes fluttered closed._

But they weren't too late and Tess had saved her from a fate she could scarcely conceive. Her father was safe for the time being. _But for how long?_ She remembered the promise she made that Cynthia's suffering would not be in vain. _I will not wait for him to come for me. When I see him, I will be prepared and I'll pay him back for every blow, for every single person that died at his hands. He will experience an equal amount of torment. I'll kill him. I want to watch him die._ Somehow that thought gave her comfort as all her rage and helplessness was delivered into that single focus. Lisa would not allow another innocent person to become just another victim to the sadistic whims of Jackson Rippner.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning sun was rising, and Lisa's fitful sleep came to an end. The nurse came into her room to check her vitals and to inform her that she was being released. As Lisa dressed, she focused her mind solely on visiting Cynthia trying to forget the horrors of the previous night and was startled when the door opened.

"How are you feeling?"

Lisa sighed, but didn't turn around as she continued to button her blouse. She recognized the voice immediately even though she had only heard it twice before. "I'm okay," she replied, shakily. She finally turned to face Tess. "I'm about to go see Cynthia."

Tess glanced down feeling a mixture of anxiety and fury. "I'm sorry that poor girl had to be put through Rippner's disgusting scheme. He ruins everything he touches."

Lisa did not say anything in response at first as she finished dressing and grabbed her purse from the closet within her room. Finally she turned to Tess and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry too but mere words are not going to fix this problem. I learned that lesson way too late."

**Author's note from emptyvoices: I just want to thank Royalty09 for all her suggestions which came in to use in doing the flashback and so forth with this chapter. This chapter actually is a combines efforts between myself and Coneflower Girl instead of each of us taking turns on chapters.**


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